Peter Bredu-Darkwa
Biography
I am an academic in occupational therapy,
recognized as a lecturer, researcher, ethical practitioner, and leader in my
field. As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), I bring a
commitment to high standards in education. I hold a Bachelor of Science in
Occupational Therapy from the University of Ghana and a Master of Philosophy in
Disability, Rehabilitation, and Development from Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology (KNUST).
Currently, I serve as the admissions lead for Occupational
Therapy programme at the University of Bradford, and I am a member of the
Humanities, Social and Health Sciences Research Ethics (HSHS) panel. I also act
as the ethics champion within the School of Allied Health Professions and
Midwifery in the Faculty of Health Studies. My clinical background is as an
orthopaedic occupational therapist having qualified with a BSc (Hons) in 2017
as part of the second cohort of locally trained occupational therapists in
Ghana and West Africa. I
have gained valuable experience working with organisations such as Korle-Bu
Teaching Hospital and the Nsawam Orthopaedic Training Centre.
Before joining the University of Bradford, I lectured at both the University of Ghana and the Accra School of Hygiene, teaching in both degree and diploma occupational therapy programmes. My teaching expertise spans courses in research methods, occupational science, occupational therapy models, the OT process, physical health, health promotion, and primary care. In addition to my academic roles, I maintain an active private practice as an occupational therapist, focusing on orthopaedic and musculoskeletal rehabilitation for individuals and their families.
Research Interest
My research interests are diverse, crossing disciplinary boundaries, and focusing on groups often marginalised and discriminated against
in society. My research centre on disability and rehabilitation, with a focus on
developing and evaluating context-specific strategies, including
community-based rehabilitation (CBR) approaches guided by the CBR-Matrix
framework. My research among the disabled group produces evidence seeking to remove disabled
people’s barriers to participation and engagement; reduce disabled
people's poverty and increase disabled people's employment and livelihood; transform
healthcare and remove the barriers to healthcare access and independent living
outcomes; and reduce the drivers of mental distress. My MPhil thesis
focused on the limitations encountered by upper and lower limb amputees and
produced evidence on how this population could be supported to engage
meaningfully in their everyday activities of daily living.
I am also interested in adapting occupational
therapy models and interventions to be culturally sensitive and contextually
relevant across diverse populations. My PhD topic is potentially using a qualitative social science exploration
of the barriers and facilitators to accessing and receiving occupational
therapy services to better meet the needs and perspectives of refugees and
asylum seekers to promote occupational justice among this population. My
passion for fostering a decolonised occupational therapy education and teaching
methods culminated in research that produced a co-authored book chapter. This
chapter provides a compendium of global insights into the inequities faced by
Black and Minoritized groups in education, health and social care and considers
how key changes in OT education and practice can redress disparities.
My research portfolio further includes public
health, and I am open to collaborative projects in this area. I am a reviewer
for Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development, International Journal of Human
Rights in Healthcare, and the Health Promotion International Journal. My works
are well-published in high-impact journals, and I have contributed chapters to
other edited collections, further advancing knowledge and practice in
occupational therapy, disability, and rehabilitation.
Research
My research interests are primarily within the field of disability and rehabilitation, specifically planning, developing, implementing and evaluating context-specific strategies and interventions for addressing disability and rehabilitation (including community-based rehabilitation approaches) based on the components of the CBR-Matrix. I also have interest is in research adapting and modifying occupational therapy models, frames of reference, approaches and interventions to be culturally sensitive and contextually relevant to different populations and settings. I further have interest in general public health research and open for any research project in public health aimed at helping individuals and populations live a meaningful and purposeful lives.
Teaching
I have interest in teaching the subject of Occupational therapy, occupational science, disability, rehabilitation, public health, research methods.